Just BLs or generally gay-themed shows? Only Asia or are Western ones fine as well? And can you give me an idea…
Thanks for this! Old Fashion Cupcake and Mood Indigo are now moving to the top of my list since you speak so highly of them! 180 Degrees sounds intriguing despite the pacing issue. And Love is Science having a proper gay love story with explicit representation? That alone makes me want to check it out.
I appreciate you keeping my preferences in mind—definitely noting down Ai no Kotodama, No Touching At All, and Long Time No See since I’ve been curious about older BLs. I’ve been hesitant about Utsukushii Kare since opinions seem very divided, but I might give it a shot just to see where I stand.
I’d love to hear more of your recs, especially anything with strong storytelling, deep emotions, or a fresh take on the genre. Thanks again for the thoughtful suggestions!
Just BLs or generally gay-themed shows? Only Asia or are Western ones fine as well? And can you give me an idea…
Hey, sorry for taking so long to respond. I would like BL recommendations only. Lately, I've been trying to explore the Asian gay entertainment world. My favorite BL so far is Love in the Big City. No other has moved me or made me as euphoric as that one. I also really liked The Heart Killers, Semantic Error, Smells Like Green Spirit, and My Only 12%. I try to avoid BLs set in school or college environments because they tend to fall into clichés and repetition, but some are so engaging that I end up overlooking these criteria.
BLs I try to avoid—I don’t know if you’ve watched them: Fourever You, Perfect 10 Liners, We Are, SOTUS, Why R U, TharnType... I watched these BLs until the end, except for Perfect 10 Liners, which is still ongoing. However, I only watched them because I forced myself to (I have OCD), and they didn’t add anything to my life. So, I’m looking for BLs that are truly interesting and make me feel something.
I began watching Hidden Moon but stopped after the second episode. The series lacks a serious tone and seems directionless, with a pacing that is excessively slow. Events unfold at a sluggish rate, failing to maintain a gripping narrative.
The protagonists, up until this point, have not captivated me. The first episode did not engage my interest, and I found myself struggling to finish the second. A particular scene where it rains red felt forced and poorly executed, diminishing the overall quality of the episode.
Ultimately, I did not feel compelled to continue watching the third episode. Hidden Moon failed to capture my attention or evoke any anticipation for what lies ahead.
Sangmin Dinneaw began airing in late 2024 and continues to release new episodes. The series is expected to conclude by the end of February or early March.
The story follows two young men, one of whom lives with his mother in a small homestay—similar to an Airbnb—where guests can stay. His mother is a sculptor who creates handmade pottery and soaps, which are then sold at the local market by Dinneaw, the main character.
A key aspect of the story is the mother’s longing for a boy who used to live in the same part of the village. This boy, Sangmin, is Korean but spent time in Thailand as a child before having to leave. At the time, he was very young, but because he often played with her son, the mother developed a deep affection for him—almost as if he were her own child.
Years passed with no news from Sangmin until, suddenly, he sent a letter announcing his return. When he finally comes back, the relationship between him and Dinneaw begins to unfold. However, it remains uncertain whether they have romantic feelings for each other, as their interactions are still in the early stages. There is also an underlying mystery—Sangmin appears to be hiding a secret that he refuses to share, either with Dinneaw or his mother. This element of intrigue adds depth to the story and is expected to develop further in upcoming episodes.
So far, I am only on the third episode, but I am thoroughly enjoying the series. It has a unique feel, with charismatic and visually appealing characters. Some scenes are slightly more suggestive and explicit, but overall, the series remains engaging. My only hope is that it does not become overly drawn out or repetitive, as that could make it tedious to watch.
"Perfect 10 Liners" is a BL series that premiered at the end of 2024 and is still releasing new episodes. However, its biggest flaw is that it falls into the same overused formula that GMM has relied on time and time again. The series takes place in a university setting—once again focusing on adults navigating relationships. And, once again, the main characters are engineering students. This specific setting has been a staple in many of GMM’s previous series, most notably SOTUS (2016), which played a major role in popularizing the BL genre. Unfortunately, Perfect 10 Liners does little to set itself apart from its predecessors. It feels repetitive and predictable, making it difficult to stay engaged. The main characters often display childish behavior when dealing with relationships, which feels frustrating given that they are adults—we expect a bit more maturity from them. Another issue is the episode length. Most episodes exceed 50 minutes, sometimes even over an hour, but the story simply doesn’t need that much time. The pacing drags, and it feels like each episode could easily be condensed into 30 minutes at most. As of episode 9, the series is primarily focused on developing just two couples. However, these relationships are not particularly engaging. One of the couples was barely a background pairing in a previous series, yet they were brought into Perfect 10 Liners seemingly just to fill space in the script rather than adding real substance to the story. Overall, the series struggles to bring anything new to the table, making it feel like just another addition to GMM’s long list of BL dramas that follow the same well-worn path. Starting from episode 9, Perfect 10 Liners will begin developing a new couple played by actors Santa and Perth. This second part of the series is what interests me the most, mainly because of Santa. He is an incredibly talented actor, and beyond that, he has a striking and unique appearance—he’s undeniably attractive and exudes charisma on screen. Watching him act is a pleasure, as he brings a strong presence to his roles. I first saw him in My Only 12%, where he played a teenager, and I absolutely loved both him and his co-star, Earth. Earth is also an excellent actor and has starred in a series similar to Perfect 10 Liners, called Fourever You. Unfortunately, Fourever You suffers from the same issues—it follows the same repetitive GMM formula, set in a university and centered around students falling in love. Once again, we see adult characters behaving immaturely, which makes the storytelling feel stale. Despite its flaws, I’m looking forward to Santa and Earth’s performances in this second phase of Perfect 10 Liners. While the first couple in the series is decent, they lack the same charm. The actor playing Arc, in particular, doesn’t feel very charismatic. I’m not sure if this is due to his acting or if it's a problem with the direction, but his performance doesn’t bring much emotional depth to the story. Overall, while the series is largely predictable and follows the same well-worn path, the introduction of Santa’s character gives me hope that the second half will be more engaging.
I appreciate you keeping my preferences in mind—definitely noting down Ai no Kotodama, No Touching At All, and Long Time No See since I’ve been curious about older BLs. I’ve been hesitant about Utsukushii Kare since opinions seem very divided, but I might give it a shot just to see where I stand.
I’d love to hear more of your recs, especially anything with strong storytelling, deep emotions, or a fresh take on the genre. Thanks again for the thoughtful suggestions!
BLs I try to avoid—I don’t know if you’ve watched them: Fourever You, Perfect 10 Liners, We Are, SOTUS, Why R U, TharnType... I watched these BLs until the end, except for Perfect 10 Liners, which is still ongoing. However, I only watched them because I forced myself to (I have OCD), and they didn’t add anything to my life. So, I’m looking for BLs that are truly interesting and make me feel something.
The protagonists, up until this point, have not captivated me. The first episode did not engage my interest, and I found myself struggling to finish the second. A particular scene where it rains red felt forced and poorly executed, diminishing the overall quality of the episode.
Ultimately, I did not feel compelled to continue watching the third episode. Hidden Moon failed to capture my attention or evoke any anticipation for what lies ahead.
The story follows two young men, one of whom lives with his mother in a small homestay—similar to an Airbnb—where guests can stay. His mother is a sculptor who creates handmade pottery and soaps, which are then sold at the local market by Dinneaw, the main character.
A key aspect of the story is the mother’s longing for a boy who used to live in the same part of the village. This boy, Sangmin, is Korean but spent time in Thailand as a child before having to leave. At the time, he was very young, but because he often played with her son, the mother developed a deep affection for him—almost as if he were her own child.
Years passed with no news from Sangmin until, suddenly, he sent a letter announcing his return. When he finally comes back, the relationship between him and Dinneaw begins to unfold. However, it remains uncertain whether they have romantic feelings for each other, as their interactions are still in the early stages. There is also an underlying mystery—Sangmin appears to be hiding a secret that he refuses to share, either with Dinneaw or his mother. This element of intrigue adds depth to the story and is expected to develop further in upcoming episodes.
So far, I am only on the third episode, but I am thoroughly enjoying the series. It has a unique feel, with charismatic and visually appealing characters. Some scenes are slightly more suggestive and explicit, but overall, the series remains engaging. My only hope is that it does not become overly drawn out or repetitive, as that could make it tedious to watch.
Unfortunately, Perfect 10 Liners does little to set itself apart from its predecessors. It feels repetitive and predictable, making it difficult to stay engaged. The main characters often display childish behavior when dealing with relationships, which feels frustrating given that they are adults—we expect a bit more maturity from them.
Another issue is the episode length. Most episodes exceed 50 minutes, sometimes even over an hour, but the story simply doesn’t need that much time. The pacing drags, and it feels like each episode could easily be condensed into 30 minutes at most.
As of episode 9, the series is primarily focused on developing just two couples. However, these relationships are not particularly engaging. One of the couples was barely a background pairing in a previous series, yet they were brought into Perfect 10 Liners seemingly just to fill space in the script rather than adding real substance to the story.
Overall, the series struggles to bring anything new to the table, making it feel like just another addition to GMM’s long list of BL dramas that follow the same well-worn path.
Starting from episode 9, Perfect 10 Liners will begin developing a new couple played by actors Santa and Perth. This second part of the series is what interests me the most, mainly because of Santa. He is an incredibly talented actor, and beyond that, he has a striking and unique appearance—he’s undeniably attractive and exudes charisma on screen. Watching him act is a pleasure, as he brings a strong presence to his roles. I first saw him in My Only 12%, where he played a teenager, and I absolutely loved both him and his co-star, Earth. Earth is also an excellent actor and has starred in a series similar to Perfect 10 Liners, called Fourever You. Unfortunately, Fourever You suffers from the same issues—it follows the same repetitive GMM formula, set in a university and centered around students falling in love. Once again, we see adult characters behaving immaturely, which makes the storytelling feel stale.
Despite its flaws, I’m looking forward to Santa and Earth’s performances in this second phase of Perfect 10 Liners. While the first couple in the series is decent, they lack the same charm. The actor playing Arc, in particular, doesn’t feel very charismatic. I’m not sure if this is due to his acting or if it's a problem with the direction, but his performance doesn’t bring much emotional depth to the story.
Overall, while the series is largely predictable and follows the same well-worn path, the introduction of Santa’s character gives me hope that the second half will be more engaging.